


where the sea and the sky meet

by renminiscence



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Heavy Angst, M/M, Really Heavy Angst, oh look theyre fathers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2019-10-11
Packaged: 2020-12-09 02:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20987465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/renminiscence/pseuds/renminiscence
Summary: They always meet where the sky touches the sea.





	where the sea and the sky meet

**Author's Note:**

> this was born following my crave to write parents!jaemren. but smth happened along the process lol
> 
> angst and major character death ahead. i hope these amount of warnings are enough.

The warmth of the morning sun tickled Renjun’s face, making him flutter his eyes open. He sat upright, rubbing the drowsiness away from his eyes. A faint smile automatically spread across his face as he realised what day it was that day. 

It was Jaemin’s birthday.

He stood up, not forgetting to make his bed neatly. He remembered how his husband hated to make it. Jaemin was stubborn, so no matter how many times Renjun told him to make it, he wouldn't budge and do it. Just after some kisses here, and some puppy eyes there, his husband would be free not to make their bed and the chore would be passed to Renjun, who always ended up making it for them in the end.

He padded his way towards the bathroom and washed his face. He lifted himself up from the sink, glancing at the mirror. He frowned as he noticed dark shadows underneath his eyes. He didn't like having them. He recalled Jaemin having those too, for he used to work late night hours. He didn't like how they looked on his husband's smooth, flawless face. 

Once he had finished dressing properly into his working attire, he went to his daughter's bedroom. Darkness nearly reigned in her room, but few rays of the sun found their way in, seeping through the thick curtains of the window. He walked towards her bed, kneeling beside it. The little light in the room allowed him to see the traits of her face. She was preciously beautiful, and although they argued a lot about it, Renjun knew she looked more just like Jaemin—from the long lashes that adorned her eyes, to the shape of her lips, she got more of Jaemin than of him.

Renjun caressed her head as he leaned closer, "Haneul. Wake up, sweetheart."

The little girl stirred in her sleep, mumbling incoherent words that made Renjun chuckle softly. He started to plant soft kisses across his face until he heard Haneul giggle, playfully shoving him away, "Dad, enough! I'm awake!"

Giving her one last kiss between her eyebrows, Renjun sat on the corner of the bed, "You know what day it is today?"

Blinking, Haneul stayed quiet for a moment before nodding slowly, "Yes.. It's Papa's birthday today."

Renjun grinned, swiping dark locks away from Haneul's eyes, "That's right. Now, get up. You're gonna be late for school."

Haneul was always helped by Jaemin to take a bath, but since Renjun was always the one at home by the time Jaemin had already left early to work, and being the clumsy dad he was, Haneul learned to bathe herself, although Renjun would help her dress up. Then, they would have breakfast. Jaemin had always been the one in charge of cooking. However, since he was busy, it was inevitable that Renjun had to learn how to cook. He knew he couldn’t cook well, and he didn’t take it as an offensive remark when Haneul, one day, announced that she preferred Jaemin’s cooking. Renjun preferred his husband’s, too, to be quite honest.

After checking one last time her daughter's backpack if they had packed everything, Renjun grabbed the car's keys, and they drove to school.

The trip from the house to Haneul’s school was quiet. Jaemin wasn't there to talk about his hectic schedule and the troubles and mishaps he always got himself and his friend, Jeno, into. Therefore, Renjun, among all the other things, learned to admire and love the silence, instead. 

Upon arriving to school, Renjun called Haneul out before she could hop off the car. He climbed out of the vehicle to give her a tender embrace, pressing his lips on the top of her head, "Study well. Daddy is going to fetch you later, then we'll go to Papa, okay?"

Haneul whispered against his chest, "Okay."  


Renjun decided to go to his office and work for a couple hours, even if Jaemin disliked the idea of them working on special days, such as birthdays. Walking across the lobby, he immediately rushed to his office room, greeting his co-workers quickly. Once seated, he tried his best to drown himself in his paperwork and other tasks of that day, thinking that, in that way, no other thoughts or things could trickle their way in his mind. He also tried to avoid as much as possible to fall into conversations with others who, just lately, despite being busy themselves, they would spare time to talk with Renjun. He knew they meant well, asking how he was doing, how was his family. Nevertheless, Renjun preferred being a reserved person about the matter, and being busy himself, too, he would appreciate if others left him alone once in awhile.

After concluding a phone call, and finishing the last pile of paper work on his desk, he bid his workmates goodbye, ignoring the worried looks clearly visible on their faces. Renjun merely brushed it off.

He dropped by Jaemin’s favourite cafe, the one where they would always go when there was a special occasion. There, he bought sandwiches, muffins, drinks, which he made sure to buy Haneul's preferred fruit juice, and a cake. Just a simple one. 

He completed buying everything he needed just in time to go get Haneul from school. She was coming out of the building when Renjun arrived. There wasn't need for him to call her out, for she had already recognised their car. Waving adorably at his dad, she got into the car, and fastened her seatbelt.

"Did you have a good day?" Renjun asked, looking back through the rear-view mirror.

”Yes." 

"Great. Let's go visit Papa then."

The sea was surprisingly calm that day. The waves repetitively reached the shore in a peaceful manner, before receding back again to where they belonged. Haneul squealed of joy once her tiny feet touched the warm sand. She started to run here and there, and Renjun had to go after her, yelling not to go too far.

While her daughter was busy collecting shells that would go into her jar already full of sea shells that differed in size and shades of colours, Renjun laid a checkered cloth on the slightly prickling sand, where he promptly set, afterwards, all the food. Taking out the cake from its box, he called Haneul out.

Waddling her way to Renjun, he noted how her face lit up gazing at the amount of delicious food his dad had bought. They hastily started eating, whereas Haneul talked about her day at school, nagging at his dad who taught her wrongly on one of her homework. Renjun tried to suppress his laugh. 

Leaving the cake purposely for last, Renjun cut it into small slices. He briefly flickered his gaze over her daughter, "So, what's your wish for Papa?"

Haneul heaved a breath, looking away. Renjun suddenly felt his heart fall, taking a dive into the abyss of remorse, and succumbing sadness. "Just like last year. I want Papa to come back."

"You know it's impossible, sweetie."

Haneul turned to glance at his dad, and Renjun could see her daughter's glistening eyes, "I know, but..” She paused, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, "What about you, dad? What's your wish for Papa?"

"Dad wishes that Papa always see that Dad still loves him, a lot. He still loves him, wherever he is now."

Taking the slice of cake her dad handed to her, Haneul put up a confused looking face, "And where it is? The place where he is right now?"

"Do you know what your name means?" Renjun pulled up his legs to his chest, setting aside the profound sorrow approaching the shore of his heart, ”Haneul?"

"No." His little girl nonchalantly replied with mouth full of chewed cake. Her attention, by then, as Renjun noticed, was now focused on the food she was munching. 

Renjun smiled softly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind his daughter's ear, "Heaven. It's where Papa is now."

**Author's Note:**

> i wrote this days after jaemin's birthday, knowing too well it was kinda inappropriate for the occasion, so i got to post it only now. i dont know what i was thinking writing this, but this has become dear to me for some personal reasons. so yeah.. i hope you liked it..
> 
> shout at me on cc http://curiouscat.me/323125


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